King Center director looks back on 30 years of shows at Melbourne performing arts center

FLORIDA TODAY's Suzy Fleming Leonard goes one on one with King Center executive director Steve Janicki to talk about the three decades of culture and entertainment the facility has provided for the Space Coast community. Video by Rob Landers. 2/23/18

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Steve Janicki has been executive director of the King Center since 1987, the year before it opened. The performing arts center is preparing for its 30th anniversary.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)Buy Photo

Sometimes, Steve Janicki stands in a back corner of the King Center auditorium during a show and watches.

He watches the performance on stage, but he also watches the audience.

"I'll go, 'Gosh, that was a great moment,' " he said. "And that's what excites me about this business. It's the fact that people trust me to come here and spend four or five hours in an evening to come see somebody that they love on stage. That's a big responsibility."

Janicki has been executive director of the performing arts center at Eastern Florida State College for the past 31 years. He's done a lot of reflecting on that responsibility lately.

The King Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Janicki was hired the year before it opened, while the 2,016-seat facility was still under construction on the Melbourne campus of what was then Brevard Community College.

"I came in here, and the walls weren't even up," he said. "I just saw these big girders. The rotunda, offices, none of that was here. It was just dirt."

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The Melbourne Central Catholic High School class of 2017 fills the stage at the King Center during graduation in May.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

Back in the early 1980s, there was a performing arts center in West Palm Beach and the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando, said Dr. Maxwell King, who was president of BCC at the time.

He remembers speaking to a women's group in Cocoa Beach, and being asked why there was no performing arts center on the Space Coast.

King set out to get one.

State Sen. Clark Maxwell Jr. helped secure state funding to build the center, but $1 million needed to be raised locally. King approached a consultant who said he would raise the money for a $90,000 fee.

He approached local industries and leaders, including Harris Corp. and USA Todayand FLORIDA TODAY founder Al Neuharth for help.

"The idea was we'd have a performing arts center, but it would never cost the college anything," King said.

In addition to raising money to build what would eventually become the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, King also set up an endowment. Some years, the center would make money, others it would lose money, he said. The endowment meant no losses would draw from college coffers.

The first show in spring of 1988 was "Singin' in the Rain," Janicki said.

"We did two performances," he said. "One performance was just for the people who donated to the King Center. We put their names on the backs of the seats."

Seats in the auditorium were sold at $250 each.

"That was the seed money for our endowment," Janicki said. "The endowment is now over $8 million."

As King planned, the center has never placed a financial burden on the college.

"I've been very proud of that," King said.

What it has done is entertain almost 2 million people. That's how many have come through the King Center doors in 30 years, said Janicki. Between $50 million and $60 million has been invested in artist fees.

"When I first started, it was all about big band music and 'Cats,' " Janicki said. "All I heard was 'Cats,' 'Cats,' 'Cats.' When are we going to get 'Cats'?"

The King Center got "Cats," as well as "Mama Mia!" and "Les Miserables."

There have been classic favorites, including Frankie Valli, Roberta Flack and Carol Channing; comedy acts like Carrot Top and Larry the Cable Guy; reality TV celebs such as Clay Aiken of "American Idol" and Puddles Pity Party from "America's Got Talent."

One of the Beatles has performed at the King Center (Ringo Starr), as have three of the Monkees (Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolnez).

When comedian Jerry Seinfeld made his first stop at the King Center in May 2004, a line wrapped around the building the morning tickets went on sale. He's returned three times since.

Bill Cosby performed at the King Center for the Performing Arts in 2014, just after news broke of alleged sexual harassment charges.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

Bill Cosby drew protesters and media from around the country as allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced in the days before his November 2014 performance. Though he cancelled subsequent stops on his tour, the King Center show went on before a sell-out crowd.

And sometimes politics has taken center stage, as was the case when conservative political pundit Bill O'Reilly gave a 70-minute talk then answered audience questions in April 2012.

Through the years, performers have left a reminder of their visits. Backstage at the King Center is Brevard's own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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King Center executive director Steve Janicki shows off one of the doors backstage that has been signed by performers over the years.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

"Every since Day 1, we've had our artists come in, and they walk by and give us a little signature," Janicki said, showing off doors in the cavernous area few patrons get to visit.

The autographs start on one door then spread to another and another and finally onto a wall. Janicki said he once considered auctioning the doors at a fundraiser, but the staff didn't want to part with them.

So they remain, reminders of laughter and music and emotion only truly great entertainers can elicit.

Time is passing.

Janicki isn't sure what the next 30 years will hold for the King Center.

"Right now we're in what I'd call a generational shift," he said. "We have all of our tried-and-true acts, and the people who have supported us over the years. But we really need to start looking down the road at Millennials and trying to attract younger audiences, bringing younger programming into this building, because that's how this organization is going to survive."

As he books acts for upcoming seasons, he does his best to cater to existing audiences while sneaking in a few things to draw new guests.

It seems to be working. Last fall, the King Center's marketing staff began conducting surveys after shows.

"Close to 30 percent of our audiences are brand new to this organization, this building," Janicki said. "There's a lot of new people moving into this community, and those are our future audiences, too."

King just turned 90. He's not able to see as many shows as he'd like to these days, but he's still proud of the theater that bears his name and what it's come to mean to the Space Coast.

"I listened to the people in the community, and the people in the community liked what they were seeing," he said. "I think they see what (the King Center) has done for the community."

For Janicki, the past 30 years have brought high points, good experiences and moments artists have shared with the audiences.

30th Anniversary Celebration

The King Center for the Performing Arts will celebrate its anniversary with two events.

Sunday, March 4, The Illusionists: Live from Broadway. Show starts at 4 p.m. on the King Center Main Stage, immediately followed by a cocktail party at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club.

Tuesday, April 24, "Kinky Boots." A pre-show cocktail party starts at 6 p.m. in the King Center Rotunda. Wear your favorite boots and prepare to walk the catwalk. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. on the King Center Main Stage.

For a $1,000 sponsorship, guests can enjoy tickets to both shows and both cocktail events. Visit kingcenter.com for sponsor levels and more information or call 321-433-5720.

Favorite King Center Shows

These Brevardians responded to a Facebook query about the best shows they've seen at the King Center for the Performing arts:

Terrence Girard: The Lincoln Center kicked off the national tour of its hit revival of "South Pecific" right here in Melbourne. Carmen Cusack was a superb Nellie Forbush in a gorgeous production.

Kathleen Hinson: Toss up between Larry the Cable guy and Jerry Seinfeld — both great shows.

Josh Field: So many great memories from the King Center. Just a few that really stand out include the (2010) Harry Connick Jr, show where he brought Tim Wakefield on stage to throw him a knuckleball; Crosby, Stills & Nash (2009); Joan Rivers and Don Rickles together (2008); and Tony Bennett (2006), plus all the great bands I grew up listening to like Chicago, Yes, Heart, George Thorogood, Steve Miller, Kenny Loggins, Earth Wind & Fire, Styx, Charlie Daniels Band, and America. Congratulations, Steve and thanks for all the great memories!

Leonard is a senior writer at FLORIDA TODAY. Email sleonard@floridatoday.com.